Nuclera installs eProtein Discovery systems at Taiwan universities
Cambridge-based biotechnology company Nuclera has completed its first commercial installations in Asia, deploying eProtein Discovery systems at two leading Taiwanese universities. The National Taiwan University and National Cheng Kung University now have access to the benchtop protein production technology, marking a significant milestone in the company’s global expansion.
The systems were purchased by Show Chung Ho, President of YFY Academy and Founder of E Ink Holdings, and donated to strengthen Taiwan’s protein drug discovery research capabilities. The installations establish a collaborative platform between the two institutions focused on advancing protein therapeutics development.
Michael Chen, CEO and co-founder of Nuclera
Streamlining protein production workflows
The eProtein Discovery system combines cell-free expression systems, digital microfluidics, and screening data to provide rapid guidance on optimal protein expression and purification conditions. This approach aims to reduce the time, cost, and uncertainty typically associated with traditional protein production methods.
Michael Chen, CEO and co-founder of Nuclera, commented: “eProtein Discovery is transforming protein production workflows through rapidly informing scientists of optimal protein expression and purification conditions. We are excited to play a role in the important research that is being carried out at the National Taiwan University and
the National Cheng Kung University.”
Applications in disease research
At National Taiwan University, the system will support early-stage screening of peptide drug candidates targeting lung cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Ming-Hsien Wu, Dean of the College of Medicine, said: “Many diseases originate from protein alterations and proteins form the foundation of therapeutic interventions. The introduction of this system is expected to accelerate drug discovery and development, ultimately benefiting a greater number of patients.”
Szu-Hua Pan, Associate Professor of Graduate Institute of Medical Genomics and Proteomics Centre at National Taiwan University, added: “The platform may also be applied to the development of protein microarrays for screening purposes, assisting clinicians in assessing risks related to disease recurrence, drug resistance, and heart failure.”
Expanding research capabilities
National Cheng Kung University plans to focus on medical protein research and targeted therapeutic development, with integration of artificial intelligence for enzyme design. Yung-Chun Lee, Vice President of National Cheng Kung University, commented: “The system is user-friendly and offers high-throughput capabilities.”
The installations follow previous deployments at academic institutes across the UK and Europe. Nuclera is represented in Taiwan by Unimed Healthcare Inc., which provides local distribution and technical support.
